Maybe He’s Already Here

I think I’ve spent a lot of my life waiting for God to do something big. Believing that my testimony wouldn’t hold much weight if I didn’t have a good story.

I grew up in a Christian home with two loving parents and an incredible older sister. I never really veered from the path… and I thought I needed to do “bad things” for my testimony to be worthy of being shared.

I feel like I’m often waiting to feel the presence of God. And that can sometimes look like being in a space with stellar worship, the right lighting, everything perfect (which is our church). Then—and only then—would I feel like God could speak to me.

And I always expect Him to reveal something really BIG. Something completely life-changing, but not difficult for me to do! Just, like, make me proficient in FSL immediately or give me all the words for the book I want to write and the time to put them all down on paper. Create a change in me that’s so instantaneous and permanent that people are amazed by God’s goodness!

When I think “God showed up,” it’s normally in those answered prayers, miraculous healings, financial provisions… in the big moments when someone chooses to walk away from their “life of sin” and to follow Jesus.

But Jesus is showing me that He’s in the mundane moments just the same… maybe even more so.

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The other morning, Paul came downstairs before it was time. I was in the middle of praying and, instead of immediately telling him to go back upstairs, I looked at him, smiled, and said, “Good morning, kiddo!”

He came over to me and said, “Mama, I have to tell you something. You can touch my head now!”

(For context, the day before, Paul fell off our couch and hit his head on the coffee table. When we were putting him to bed, he said his head hurt too much for me to even touch that spot. We prayed that his head would heal by morning and left it at that.)

By morning, the goose egg had gone down and he wasn’t experiencing any pain! We hugged and I told him I was so happy he was feeling better. He asked me if we could read a Bible story together, and he grabbed his Storybook Bible.

It was such a sweet moment because my prayer right before he came downstairs was, “Teach me how to parent my littles,” and my prayer right after he left was, “Lord, what do I need today?”

They went hand in hand so beautifully. I need to be interruptable and available, especially for my children.

It’s in continuing my relationship with the Lord that I experience Him most. As I spend more time with Him—reading the Bible, journaling, praying, making space—the more I sense His presence in my everyday life.

What if I’ve been waiting for God to show up when He’s been here the whole time?

Another example: We’re in the midst of rainy season right now in the Philippines. It rains at least once a day, but we have been so fortunate to have really beautiful mornings for drop-offs and pick-ups. For the most part, I haven’t had to worry about lugging up three umbrellas while keeping my kiddos safe during heavy rains and storms.

There have been some days when, just minutes after we walk into our home, it starts downpouring, but we’ve managed to get inside just in time! Those are the little moments that could be attributed to “luck” or just “good timing,” but I also know that my God is intentional. I can choose to see those moments as Him smiling at me and caring for me.

In my ordinary life, God meets me while I’m parenting—in my kiddos catching my shortcomings and practically forcing me to own up to my poor attitude and behavior, and in their kindness, grace, love, and forgiveness.

God meets me sometimes on walks, when I’m talking with my husband or my friends.

Here lately, it’s been while I’m powerwashing and just letting my mind wander instead of filling it with other things.

I’ve been trying to practice having more “free space” in my day. Not having everything planned out or feeling like I have to be doing something at all times. Allowing there to be time when I just sit and ask the Lord to speak to me.

Maybe part of making space for God isn’t adding one more thing to my schedule. Maybe it’s taking some things away.

In these moments, I’m learning that gratitude goes a long way in noticing God’s presence:

I’m grateful to be in a community that loves Jesus.

I’m grateful to have family and chosen family surrounding me.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to live so close to campus that we can walk up multiple times a day.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to experience a bit of Caleb’s childhood.

I’m grateful to have my husband and my kiddos who teach me more about God’s love and grace and kindness every day.

I’m grateful to have a house that doesn’t flood.

I’m grateful for internet and books and aircon and my comfy bed and hot water and yummy food…

I’m grateful that God has given me another day.

Maybe you’re in a place where it feels like God isn’t doing anything in your life. It’s easy to see all of the hard stuff…

I challenge you to start noticing Him in the midst of the hard. Maybe all you can think of some days are the basics: food, clothing, shelter, breath in your lungs. THAT’S OKAY!!

Those are all important things that God is providing for you.

So, maybe God isn’t asking us to pray harder to experience the BIG things. Maybe He’s inviting us to just be with Him.

Right where we are.